Blockchains, Cloud & Development

WPF

I was trying to use the new HTTP Portable class library with the new compression capabilities (as described in this MSDN post).

I created a portable class library that retrieved data, and then used that library in my app. However my app kept throwing this error: Method not found: ‘Void System.Net.Http.HttpClientHandler.set_AutomaticDecompression(System.Net.DecompressionMethods)’.

After searching for hours, I discovered the issue is that you need to add the portable HTTP client to BOTH your portable class library AND any app that consumes that assembly. I resolved the issue simply by adding the portable HTTP client Nuget package to my app.

He lightly touched on what IoC is, in the context of how Caliburn.Micro uses it. He then went on to show some demos of Caliburn.Micro. He demonstrated how a XAML page can be created which binds to a ViewModel, without requiring any “UI glue code” to stick it all together. It made for a simple application that had a higher percentage of the code being business logic, rather than scaffolding.

To try and streamline the XDDN groups around Australia, I have been working with the organisers of the other cities to create a few central locations for everything.For those unfamiliar with XDDN, it is a usergroup I run that focuses on UX, Design and Development on Microsoft UI platforms. Such as Win8, WinPhone7, HTML5, etc.

The main reason for moving everything to Meetup is that it allows everyone to easily see upcoming events and get automatically notified when new events are created.

Having XDDN on Meetup.com also supports my other goals of getting more people involved with their local development communities. Joining the groups will allow you to easily find other local groups that you may want to attend, such as Agile or Alt.Net groups.

Please join the group for your city, as the old event sites (such as EventBrite) will be slowly decommissioned over the next few weeks.

Learn about creating great MVVM applications with LESS CODE. Ian Randall will be demonstrating how to use Caliburn.Micro to create cleaner XAML based applications. These techniques will work with WinRT (Windows 8), Silverlight, Windows Phone 7 and WPF.
Caliburn.Micro can be downloaded at http://caliburnmicro.codeplex.com/

Time: 5:30 pm networking & pizza.6:00 pm presentations start.

Caliburn.Micro – Ian Randall

Caliburn.Micro (http://caliburnmicro.codeplex.com/) is more than just an MVVM library, it’s a client application framework that works every bit as hard for your app that a web framework does: Logging, composition, binding, and much, much more.
This session will cover getting started with Caliburn.Micro and give practical demonstrations of Convention Over Configuration, Actions, Screens & Conductors and will go a bit deeper under the covers (if we get time).

Ian Randall is a software developer for Datacom in Auckland and a XAML geek on the internets. He helps to run the Metro Meetup in Auckland and just spent the last 6 months putting on ‘codemania’ (http://codemania.co.nz). He is currently trying to catch a breath…
He loves Melbourne, partly for the friendly Victorian people, but mostly for @aeoth’s legendary chocolate brownies.

A tour around Windows 8 – David Burela
Windows 8 has been announced to the public and is being branded as “Windows reimagined”. This introductory session will show some of the new features coming with Windows 8.
A touch first interface, user account syncing via the cloud, “charms”, app to app data sharing, and the ability to use a picture password to log into windows will all be demonstrated.

Getting started with Windows 8 development – David Burela
So you’ve heard that Windows 8 has a new way of applications known as “Metro styled immersive apps”, but what does this actually mean? What is WinRT? Is Microsoft really making developers use HTML5 to create desktop apps? What about your previous investments in Silverlight?
Join David Burela as he helps clarify what the new programming model is and what impact it will have on you. Explanations of WinRT and how to create basic applications will be shown.

A tour around Windows 8 – David Burela
Windows 8 has been announced to the public and is being branded as “Windows reimagined”. This introductory session will show some of the new features coming with Windows 8.
A touch first interface, user account syncing via the cloud, “charms”, app to app data sharing, and the ability to use a picture password to log into windows will all be demonstrated.

Getting started with Windows 8 development – David Burela
So you’ve heard that Windows 8 has a new way of applications known as “Metro styled immersive apps”, but what does this actually mean? What is WinRT? Is Microsoft really making developers use HTML5 to create desktop apps? What about your previous investments in Silverlight?
Join David Burela as he helps clarify what the new programming model is and what impact it will have on you. Explanations of WinRT and how to create basic applications will be shown.

Highlights

The confusion around HTML5, xaml and Jupiter is finally cleared up.
The new immersive apps (full screen, metro style apps which are launched from the tile based interface) can be built in either C#/XAML or HTML5/JS. Under the covers it reflects into the WinRT APIs. Apps built like this will run on ANY Win8 machine (x86, ARM, etc)

Silverlight & WPF are “legacy”. They put it onto the slide for show. The Win8 xaml looks to be 90% compatible with Silverlight. Demos are shown where they take a Silverlight app, copy/paste the code into a new Win8 XAML app, and only a few namespaces need to be changed. A silverlight grid is then changed to use the native WinRT grid to make it touch enabled and “Metro-y”

The Win8 XAML app is ported to Windows Phone 7 with only 1 line changed.

New version of Visual Studio available to help build apps for Win 8 “Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Express for Windows Developer Preview” (got to love Microsoft product names)

Expression blend works for editing the HTML5/JS apps

The native WinRT controls work in XAML and HTML5

New windows 8 app store. Store & submission process VERY similar to Windows Phone 7. Can submit via Visual Studio
Paul Thurrott: “Biggest point of Windows Store: Microsoft is NOT taking a 30 percent cut. It will take a ZERO percent cut.”

Win8 machines can be easily restored back to a “clean base image” that developer can specify. Keeps all files, just reverts apps. (Reset/Refresh)

Windows Live application integration. Nice support for photos, calendar, mail, people. Very similar to Windows Phone 7 built in features.
Windows user account settings Synced across PCs via the cloud (profile photo, etc)

Win8 specs are the same as Win 7. Consumes less memory after startup.
Boot times have been massively reduced. Cold boot demo shows the PC almost starting faster than the monitor can turn on.